Suddenly, the Tulane Green Wave baseball team has started to find its rhythm in a strong series win against ECU.
Could the Tulane Green Wave be heating up on the diamond at just the right time?
After Sunday's game, it sure seems like it. The Sluggerbirds downed one of the American Conference's top teams in the East Carolina Pirates, rallying back from a two-run deficit in the middle innings to claim a 6-3 win.
J.D. Rodriguez earned the win on the mound for the home team, improving to a perfect 5-0 on the year. The standout starting pitcher threw 5.1 strong innings, giving up four hits and three runs while walking two batters and striking out five. Blaise Wilcenski contributed 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, while Jack Brafa earned a save after striking out the final batter of the game.
East Carolina got on the board in the first inning with a solo home run by Grady Lenahan, but the Green Wave punched right back in the bottom of the frame. Tye Wood kept up his hot hitting with a single up the middle, then stole second base and advanced to third on a throwing error. Jason Wachs would bring him home on a groundout to knot the score at one apiece.
The Pirates added their second home run of the game in the very next frame, as Michael Kalinich smashed a solo-shot to right field. They'd tack on their third run of the game in the fourth inning after scoring on a wild pitch.
From there, Tulane turned things around -- and most of it came with two outs. Wachs doubled to open up the bottom of the fourth inning, but after two quick outs, the pressure was on for the home team. Kaikea Harrison stepped up to the plate with a single to left field to drive in Wachs, and after stealing second, he'd come home on a single by Tanner Chun. Hugh Pinkney had a single of his own to bring in Chun, and just like that, the home team took a 4-3 lead.
After a few quiet innings, the Sluggerbirds tacked on some insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh. James Agabedis doubled and was later driven home by a double from Wood. Matthias Haas added a two-out single to bring home Wood and push the lead to 6-3.
After giving up a hit and a walk in the eighth inning, the Green Wave defense was able to escape the frame unscathed. It would hold on just as well in the ninth, working around a two-out walk to secure the win.
Wood led Tulane offensively, going 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored and one RBI, while Wachs also went 2-for-4 with a run scored. Agabedis rounded out the multi-hit outings with a 2-for-3 appearance at the plate with one run scored.
The Green Wave will look to keep the momentum going as it hosts the Southeastern Louisiana Lions at Greer Field at Turchin Stadium on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. CT. From there, the program will head to Boca Raton to take on the Florida Atlantic Owls in a weekend series.